Obama commutes 111 sentences

Today President Obama commuted the sentences of an additional 111 inmates, including lifers Rudy Martinez and Tim Tyler, featured here on Drug War Stories. This brings the total number of commutations by Obama to 673, 232 of which were serving life sentences, most for non-violent drug crimes. Obama has now commuted more sentences than the previous ten Presidents. Thank you President Obama – but there are many thousands more!

Below is today’s White House Press Release:

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 30, 2016

President Obama Grants Commutations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the President granted commutation of sentence to the following 111 individuals:

Alfonso Allen – Miami, FLOffense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base (two counts); possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana; possession of a short barreled shotgun in furtherance of a felony drug offense; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of an unregistered short barreled shotgun; Southern District of FloridaSentence: Life plus 10 years’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (August 25, 2009)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months’ imprisonment.

Brian Allen Altman – New Berlin, WIOffense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (two counts); Western District of VirginiaSentence: 480 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (February 23, 2007)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 180 months’ imprisonment.

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 180 months’ imprisonment.

Corey Lyndell Blount – Houston, TXOffense: Use of a communication facility in facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substance Act; continuing criminal enterprise; Western District of LouisianaSentence: Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (October 27, 1999)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months’ imprisonment.

Ronald Lee Blount, Jr. – Houston, TXOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; use of a communication facility in facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substance Act; Western District of LouisianaSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 9, 1999)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 151 months’ imprisonment.

Walter Breland – Statesville, NCOffense: Possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine base; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; Southern District of IndianaSentence: 420 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (February 12, 2003)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months’ imprisonment.

Merlin Coleman – Chicago, ILOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; use of a communication facility to facilitate the commission of the distribution of a controlled substance (three counts); possession with intent to distribute cocaine; Northern District of IllinoisSentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (January 9, 2004)

Warren Dean Cornett – Houston, TXOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine and in excess of 50 grams cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine; possess with intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base; Southern District of TexasSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (March 27, 1998)

Henry Deleon – Corpus Christi, TXOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately 2.22 kilograms of a mixture or a substance containing methamphetamine; aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute approximately 2.22 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine; Southern District of TexasSentence: Life imprisonment (December 15, 2006)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

James Dillehay – Akron, OHOffense: Conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine; Northern District of OhioSentence: Life imprisonment (September 10, 1993)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months’ imprisonment.

Jarrett Dunn – Cleveland, TNOffense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess more than 50 grams cocaine base; conspiracy to distribute and possess more than five kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride; possession with intent to distribute more than five grams cocaine base; Eastern District of TennesseeSentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (May 19, 2005)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months’ imprisonment.

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

Darryl Dewayne Edwards – Port Arthur, TXOffense: Attempt to manufacture 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm by a felon; Eastern District of TexasSentence: Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (November 19, 2008)

Mark Foster – Waterford Works, NJOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; carrying or possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; Middle District of FloridaSentence: Life plus 60 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 12, 2002)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

Ricardo Gallardo – Rockford, ILOffense: Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and one kilogram or more of heroin; distribution of 2,006 grams of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute 6.02 kilograms of cocaine and 996.9 grams of heroin; money laundering; engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity; Northern District of IllinoisSentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release; $500 fine (December 16, 2005); amended to 292 months’ imprisonment (November 1, 2014)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

Antonio Jevon Gayden – Chicago, ILOffense: Possession with intent to distribute, and/or aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute five grams or more but less than 50 grams of cocaine base after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense; Northern District of IowaSentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (April 16, 2009)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment.

David Gonzalez – Houston, TXOffense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; aiding and abetting the distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base; aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; Southern District of TexasSentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (January 26, 2004)

Ali Reno Harden – Dublin, GAOffense: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of a firearm having an obliterated serial number; possession with intent to distribute more than five grams of cocaine base; possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime; possession of marijuana; Southern District of GeorgiaSentence: 180 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release; $5,000 fine (February 19, 2009)

Victor Eugene Mason – Washington, NCOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine; District of South CarolinaSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (September 11, 2007)

Martez Lamont Sherrod – Greenville, NCOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base and more than 500 grams of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; Eastern District of North CarolinaSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (October 12, 2005)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a expire on December 28, 2016.

George E. Smith – Riviera Beach, FLOffense: Possession with intent to distribute less than five grams of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school; possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school; Southern District of FloridaSentence: 235 months’ imprisonment; 12 years’ supervised release (December 8, 2005)

Lue Gene Swarn – Dallas, TXOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine; use of a communication facility to facilitate the commission of a drug felony; Eastern District of TexasSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (April 4, 2006)

John Western Thomas – Albion, MIOffense: Possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of cocaine base; Western District of MichiganSentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (February 22, 2006)

Levi Wilson – Denver, COOffense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine base and to use a place where cocaine base is manufactured, distributed and used; District of WyomingSentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (November 3, 2005)

Raul S. Zavala – Spokane, WAOffense: Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; use of a communication facility to facilitate the commission of a felony; Eastern District of WashingtonSentence: Life imprisonment (April 18, 2006)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.